Unbelievably Faithfully Yours
by pamfiction
Summary: This is for the people that would like Max and Alec to get together and start a relationship! But that don't mean Logan or Joshua ain't in it too! It has all of the main characters in it.
1. Prologue

**Title: _Unbelievably Faithfully Yours: Prologue_**

**Rating: T**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Dark Angel and I don't intend to make money with this story so don't sue me, please.**

Prologue

For the next forty – eight hours the transgenics fortified their position inside and kept a careful eye on the police and National Guard outside, which – true to Mole's prediction had locked down the perimeter of Terminal City. Already a chain of command seemed to be establishing itself. Logan and Mole oversaw the upgrade in security, and Dix and Luke monitored the media – whose cameras gave them a nice look at the National Guard and police forces outside the fence. Joshua appointed himself Max's personal bodyguard, while Alec and Max argued over strategies for their next step.

It was late the second night when Dix called them into the transgenics' makeshift media center. A dozen monitors were built into a pyramid, with four of their brethren watching them, sifting through the information from the various sources both local and national. Off to the left another baker's dozen of monitors kept track of the security system the transgenics had installed and been upgrading since they first settled in the restricted area.

"What's going on?" Max asked.

Dix pointed to a monitor in the third row; and an X5, a redheaded young woman about Max's age, pointed a remote and raised the volume.

On the screen, a reporter stood in front of Jam Pony, Normal standing next to the man. "But about your captors . . . what are these creatures like? Is it true you delivered a transgenic baby?"

Normal beamed. He couldn't have been any happier if he'd been the father himself. "I did, and a beautiful, bouncing baby girl she is."

The reporter asked, "So – you're saying they're not all monsters, then?"

"Monsters?" Normal asked with a shake of his head, as if such a thought were foreign to him. "No more than you or me."

And with that he turned away and swept the sidewalk in front of Jam Pony, when he saw two of his riders not moving fast enough, he said, "Hey, Sparky – not a country club, get moving. Bip bip bip!"

The two slackers headed off in opposite directions, each trying to get as far away from Normal as fast as they could.

Max turned to Logan. "What do you make of that?"

Grinning, Logan said, "Looks like you've got another convert."

With a perplexed look, Max asked, "Normal?"

Logan shrugged. "Could be helpful to have another friend on the outside."

She nodded. "Can't ever hurt to have another friend." Turning to Dix, she said, "Anything else?"

He shook his mashed-potato head. "You should get some rest, Max."

A yawn escaped from her. "Maybe you're right." She and Alec, as well as most of the rest of them, hadn't slept for at least the last two days. A nap wouldn't hurt her, and she knew Alec needed the rest even more than she. "Can you get somebody to wake us at dawn?"

Dix nodded. "Take my room," he said, pointing to a door off to the right.

She took a few steps then turned back to Alec. "You comin'?"

A small smile appeared and he said, "Yeah, only because I know you are not really asking, you'll make me if I say no!"

Dix's room was a far cry from the barracks at Manticore where not so long ago Alec would come in at night and pretend to fornicate with Max, or even Max's condemned – building crib, for that matter; but it would do, for tonight anyway. About as big as a good – sized bathroom and illuminated by a single light bulb dangling from a cord, it had and old double mattress on the floor in one corner, some bookshelves with a few volumes on the opposite wall to the left, a small round table near them with two chairs, and in the front left corner – below some steam pipes that Alec had to duck beneath – an old leather recliner that had been salvaged from God knows where.

"You take the bed," Max said. "I'll take this." She patted the recliner.

"No," Alec said. "You take the bed . . ."

She gave him a sharp look. "When was the last time you slept?"

He shrugged, but said, "Can't you let me be a gentleman about it? Seeing you are already not giving me a choice to sleep or not!"

She waggled a finger at him. "Whoever said you're a gentleman, especially to me?" She knew she had him now.

Without any more argument, he spilled into the bed, took off his shoes, and instantly fell asleep.

Plopping onto the recliner, Max kicked back and listened as Alec started to snore softly. She couldn't think of a prettier sound, as long as it didn't get louder. Pulling the string on the light and ginning, she liked over at this man who she loved like a cousin but hated as a person, asleep in the darkness. "Your not that bad," she said quietly.

He snorted in response, and Max suddenly realized this was what they all wanted, what they were all fighting for – just a little peace and quiet in this big, noisy would.

Alec's snoring grew louder, and Max decided that even peace without quiet was good enough for her, seeing that even when he's asleep he argues with her. Closing her eyes, she drifted off in a cloud of hope that carried over into sweet dreams.

Which, when so many of her days were waking nightmares, was one small blessing, anyway?

The next morning, rested and refreshed, Max and Alec joined a number of their fellow outcasts in the Terminal City media center and watched the early morning news on KIPR. The picture showed a dozen police cars layered in front of the main gate in multiple barricades, their light bars flashing red and blue, with several heavily armed officers running around behind the barricade.

"Tell me something I don't know," Max said dryly.

"Maybe she will," Logan said, with a nod to the screen.

The camera had settled on a female newscaster wearing too much lipstick. "As dawn breaks on the siege at Terminal City, the situation is tense but unchanged. While several hundred transgenics remain barricaded inside the restricted area, police and the National Guard stand an uneasy watch at the perimeter, each side seemingly waiting to see what the other will do next."

"No kidding," Max said to the TV.

"You think they're coming in?" Logan asked.

She shook her head. "I don't think they're that stupid."

Logan shot her a quick grin. "What about White?"

They exchanged glances – neither really considered Ames White stupid, but both knew him to be incredibly ruthless and reckless, with other people's lives at least. White, with his antitransgenic agenda, had the most to gain if this siege turned into a slaughter. It didn't even matter who on which side got slaughtered . . .


	2. The Big Surprise

Taken By Surprise

When Max woke up she saw that Alec was sitting there staring into space and said, "You're here I thought you wouldn't come back." Trying to hide that she was awake when he came in.

"Come on Maxie, you know you like having me around," Alec said with a sarcastic look on his face.

"If by 'Like' you mean having the urge to drop an anvil on you every three seconds, then yeah I really 'Like' you." She replied as she was getting up from the bed.

A little taken back by her reply Alec said, "You don't mean that," while smiling, trying to get her back in a good mood.

Max was heading for the door as she stated, "As I stated last time. Find me an anvil and watch me go." Stopping just before the door to look back at him.

Now with false sincerity all over his face and in his voice he tried to get Max to think he was joking, "Maxie, that hurts, it really does."

Max didn't even reply that time she just continued on through the door.

Alec really thinking she means what she is saying feeling really bad that he made her sleep last night, that is probably what's all her frustration is all about, but he should change cloths because he hasn't changed since all of this started. He spoke up just before Max closed the door behind her and said, "Could you ask Dix or Mole if I could borrow some cloths, I really need to change."

She was now just letting him think she was so pissed with him she didn't say anything till she got to Dix, "Hey you have any cloths that . . ." Max was stopped by a lot of commotion in the main area everyone was running around it looked like they were trying to rush to a dead line that was coming up and coming up fast. "What's going on here? What the rush? Why is everyone panicking?" Max trying to figure it all out but no one heard her she yelled this time, "_**HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?**_"

That caught Alec's attention in Dix's room even so he came out just as everyone paused and looked at Max. Dix finally replying after a bit of a pause, "Sorry we are all trying to find and locate Joshua because . . . well . . . look," he said pointing at the media monitors with concern in his voice when he is normally cool and calm when things go wrong.

So Max and Alec went over to the monitors and watch with worry on their faces like never before.

One channel was on all of them as they looked and listened to them in unison, "This morning as children were going to classes they came a crossed a dog, no a man, no a werewolf . . ."

The reporter was cut off by one of the teachers at the elementary school, "It was one of those transgenics from Terminal City, they should just bomb that place and end it all what are the National Guard waiting for it's not like they have any rights even the ones that don't look like this one but more like me or you they are not human!"

The reporter ended her report with, "Well you heard it there it was a transgenic that was after these poor incent children. Thankfully we have a very brave janitor here at the school which scared of the dog transgenic."

She trailed off as Max started to talk, "Well you guys are right we have to find Joshua which I really don't think he could of went after those children, but you guys should of came and woke us up for this because it's not only the media we have to worry about anymore. Remember I made a deal that we would stay in Terminal City till they found that guy that skinned that sector cop! Detective Clemente will be here any second I bet, to say it was someone from here and this time I can't say 'no it wasn't' because they seen him that day that this all started at Jam Pony, they know he's here, was here."

While Max was explaining that was not what they had to worry about, Alec got some cloths and quickly changed into different cloths, than came back. "So did that detective buddy come yet?"

Max turned around and answered, "No, but he'll be here soon enough, like I just said." She hadn't noticed that he'd changed yet, "Oh, you know I never realized that blue was a good color on you till now." Max stated when she finally noticed that he had changed.

"Aww, Maxie are you coming on to me?" Alec said with a surprised smile and a smirk on his face.

Max scuffs and says, "Yeah right, get over yourself pretty boy!"

"You know you want me." Alec replies as he winks at her.

"Whatever, back to what I was saying, we need to find Joshua before _they_ do." Max started saying after she didn't mean to but did get Alec thinking she likes him. "Has anyone seen or heard from Logan today?" She waited for a response to his whereabouts but never got it. "Ok, I'll be back everyone pull whatever strings you can to get Joshua back here WITHOUT LEAVEING!"

Max went to the back and down the steps but made a wrong turn before the tunnel and found a room that was quite neat and tidy considering where she was and she thought to herself, "This would be a nice place for my room, seeing we are going to be here a while. I can't always be borrowing Dix's room!" She turned back around to go to the tunnel which led to Logan's new residence. When she got there no one was there the place was dark and quiet. Max went back to where everyone was and asked again, "Has anyone seen or heard from Logan yet?"

"No sorry Maxie," Alec said looking up from a map of the city, "we have not heard from Logan yet."

"Stop calling me 'Maxie' or are _you _hitting on me, now? If you are this is not the time to do so." Max said to Alec getting aggravated with the name 'Maxie'.

Just as she said that to Alec, Detective Clemente started to ask for Max just like she said he would do. "Max, your right he's out front calling for you again." Mole said sitting at the security monitors that they had set up.

"Yeah, yeah I'm going out there now, don't worry this is actually a good sign that the National Guard is not coming in!" Max explained on her way out to the front to talk to him.

When she got out there he looked ferrous, like he was going to explode into the air or something. "We had a deal! That dog boy is out of Terminal City, you said everyone would stay till we found our guy that is killing sector cops and other people like that. Why is . . ." Clemente was cut off by Max.

"Cops as in more than one and other people?" Max asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yes, you didn't know another sector cop and one agent from out of town were killed the same way 'skinned'?" Clemente replied to Max's comment.

"No we didn't know how would we know when we don't leave and it wasn't on the news?" Max said back to him.

"Ahw, but at least one of you did leave, dog boy." Detective Clemente snapped at Max disagreeing to her comment 'we didn't leave'.

"Yeah, I found out only about forty five minutes ago and since then I have been trying everything I or anyone can think about to get him back here but we have not found him yet. We have not even found out the real reason he went to that school I know 'Joshua' that's his name not 'dog boy', why he would go there he wouldn't hurt anything unless his life was a risk, but I know also those kids would and could not hurt Joshua let alone risk his life!" Max explained to Clemente.

"Well, you better hope that you find him before we do because he'll not be returned to you if we do!" Clemente explained to Max.

"So you are going to torture him?" Max asked worried now.

"No, I will not but I'm not sure what the National Guard will do." Detective Clemente said.


	3. Awkward

Chapter Two

Awkward

When Max got to the roof like Alec said Cindy and Sketchy was there, "Hey you two you're hard to find, but now I found you two and you're together, I need to talk to both of you."

"What you want Boo?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah, what is it Max?" Sketchy agreed.

"Logan and I was thinking but we can only see one choice, you guys got to get out of Terminal City." Max said.

"But you need our help here, Boo." Cindy tried to argue with Max about leaving Terminal City.

"Yeah, you will need our help, you'll need all the help you can get to fight the National Guard." Sketchy added to what Cindy said.

"Did you two think about us needing help from the outside of Terminal City." Max started to explain, "That is how you two still can help us and stay healthy."

"Oh okay, I guess we could do that because we will never win this argument with you, are we?" Original Cindy said in response to Max.

"No you won't win it not with me or anyone who really cares about you two." Max said to them, "Now come on follow me and I'll show you how to get out of here and not have to go through the National Guard."

On the way to the tunnel Mole stopped them and said, "Hey if you are going to see Logan can you see if he can get me some cigars I'm going to be dyeing here this is my last one now!" Just as they unlocked the second door Logan was going to unlock the same door from the other side, Logan said, "I was just bringing this shipment of food and cigars down here for you guys. So you are coming out of Terminal City?"

"Only because Max won't let us stay!" Original Cindy said.

"Yeah I am just that mean!" Max said jokily.

"Here you go, I'll take them up. Or did you want to see the place Max?" Logan asked.

Max thought for a moment, sighed than she said, "Sure I'll see your new place, while I see Cindy and Sketchy off."

The place's entrance was unlike the Medtronics, this area was free of dust, even clean. With the lighting, the effect from the fluorescent lights and smell, was of a hospital, or worse, Max thought, a morgue.

"Where is the building on the other side of the fence?" she asked.

Logan said, "Well where do you think you are? You're a transgenic you should have a pretty good sense of direction."

"As much as I know it is somewhere behind the makeshift media center of Terminal City!" Max guessed.

"Yes, actually it is just across the road from the fence of it." Logan explained.

Cindy followed Logan up to the apartment and then came Sketchy and Max, so there was someone in between Max and Logan. The place had a different feel than his penthouse suit but it was still quit elegant like Logan likes things, very clean, neat and tidy. With a computer in the far right corner by a door that was closed, probably his bedroom because straight across from it was a small kitchen with another door to the bathroom and the wall right in front of them had small windows with white coverings on them and a door in the middle of the wall.

"Sorry but I should go and get a bath to get ready for work or normal will freak out on us if we are out of Terminal City and not at work on time!" Cindy explained lightly with a big sigh.

"Yeah bet your right on that and he'll threaten to fire us too." Sketchy added, "I wouldn't just bet hell freak actually, I know he'll freak and annoy us with his 'Bipping' as well."

While Cindy was walking toward the door to leave she stop in her steps. "With all of this going on you think Eyes Only will make a come back Logan?" Original Cindy asked with wonder in her voice as she turned away from the door.

"Yeah, don't you know Eyes Only?" Sketchy asked, "Couldn't you just ask him if he is going to?"

"I'll try to ask him that when I get back into contact with him with us staying at Terminal City I've lost contact with him, but I don't think it'll be long till I get back in contact with him!" Logan said so he didn't give it away that he was Eyes Only!

"Ok hope it's soon." Cindy stated.

"Hope to hear from you guys soon." Max said.

When they left Max and Logan was left alone in the apartment. Max turned and looked at Logan and with a curious look on her face she asked, "So 'Eyes Only' are you making a come back or what?"

"Not sure when but yes when I can get the parts I need to get it so I can't be traced, I will come back as 'Eyes Only' but for now, no!" Logan explained with a thoughtful voice.

"Oh, ok is there any thing us at Terminal City can do?" asked Max.

"Yeah, you guys can check if there is an IT Server, and a couple of C34 Processors in Terminal City from before the pulse." Logan replied.

"Alright I'll see if the guys could so some looking around when I bring the food for everyone and the cigars for Mole, he'll like them because he was saying he is almost out when we left." Max said. Than she walked down the stairs toward the tunnel stopped and turned around, "Hey I was wondering do you feel like I do when we are near each other? Like do you feel awkward and scared? Because that is the way I feel, is that normal or is it wrong?" Max asked in a weird voice.

"Yeeesss but that don't stop me from being around you or talking to you unless absolutely necessary!" Logan mentioned with a look like he wasn't just talking about himself.

"Well I do try not being around you because I could easily kill you with out trying. For the part about talking to you I just don't know why I do that but I have noticed I'm doing it since . . . you found out about me and Alec while you were staying a father's place, maybe it's because I think I know how you would feel since me and you were so close before this fucking virus came into play." Max explained in detail, as she continued to the tunnel.


	4. Time to Sleep

Time to Sleep

When Max got back to the Medtronics, she said, "we got some food for everyone, someone was already thinking of you Mole" as she tosses him a box of cigars.

"Awesome that guy is untradeable, he's the best!" Mole said as he lit one of his new cigars.

"Why does he get special treatment?" another one of the transgenics asked.

"Whoever said that he doesn't get any special treatment, he is the only one who asked for something specific." Max standing up for Mole and anyone who decides to ask for something specific, that they miss from before this stupid war.

Just as Max finished saying that Alec said, "it's been four days since you slept and now you're not telling me to get some sleep, I did two days ago I'm telling you, you'll be no good to anyone if you don't get some sleep!" Alec is looking at Max with what Max can remember as the most serious face he ever made, "It's time you go to sleep now Maxie, nothing is going on but a bit of bickering, but that will always be going on!"

"Alright, alright 'Smart Alec' I'll go and get some sleep seeing you did when I made you!" Max said making a stab at Alec on how he got his name 'Alec' as he was giving her a 'Smart Alec' smile. "Only because I know you will not let me live it down till you get to get me back."

"Same place as last time?" Alec looking back at Dix, as he asked him.

"Yeah I had a nap earlier and I can share a friend's room if I do get tired." Dix replied to Alec's question while making them wonder.

"Oh, if you want your room we could use someone else's room." Alec stated.

"Well actually I was . . ." Dix was about to tell them that was a joke but was interrupted by Max.

"Who said 'WE' would share a room?" Max asked Alec with wonder in her voice.

"I did," Alec said with assertiveness that Max had never seen. "How else can I be sure you don't just lay there wide awake; like you told me you did with Kendra!"

"Oh, that's who, you!" Max said with a sarcastic voice, "So you think you are big enough to make me?"

"Want 'a bet?" Alec said as he lightly pushed her toward Dix's room, and Max didn't fight it. She was actually quit tired but had a lot to do and that's why she was withholding herself from sleep.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow about what we were after Logan left, don't worry." Joshua said, "Alec right you need sleep."

When they got to the room Alec said, "You're taking the bed this time." Before she could argue with him, he jumped into the recliner and put up the foot rest.

Max didn't even try to argue with him even though she thought that he would do that. She yawned as she sat down to take off her boots to get ready for sleeping, "You know you don't really have to stay here all night to make sure I sleep." Max explained wishing he would leave but knowing he wouldn't. "You could always only stay till I'm a sleep and then leave."

"Yeah you would like that because than you would wake up from the noise I make leaving." Alec snapping a little as he was starting to get annoyed with her for her keeps trying to not go to sleep even though everyone knows she needs it, but her.

As Max laid down to sleep on the bed she said, "You were waiting for the time I needed sleep to rub it in that I made you weren't you?"

"Yes I was and like I thought it feels good to tell a know-it-all what she needs to do that she wasn't." Alec said trying to make it strait that he'll never let her live it down that she tried to tell him what to do. He still thinks as he did in Manticore that he does what he wants not being told what to do by other transgenics that he normally tells what to do. Max was always the exception of that she never done what he said until now!

He stopped thing about that when he started to hear Max snoring not so softly. Alec couldn't stop but thinking it would be funny if this happened more often and he actually kind of likes it, but doesn't understand why because he never felt like this other than with one woman that he pretended to teach piano, in her home to get close to her father. Than two years later he finds out she didn't die when he thought she did, at the same time of her father. She saved her father and ended up in a coma, than died just after he found out and sat beside her bed. Max seen that he really loved her by the way he looked at her on her death bed.

As thoughts rushed into his head as he watch Max sleeping he tried to stop them but realized he was not going to win this fight till he was asleep or away from Max. He couldn't fighter out why but it felt like when he sat beside that girl in a coma, but also different at the same time. So he tried to leave her sleeping but as he thought Max woke up and asked, "Thought you weren't going anywhere so you can make sure I stay asleep."

"I was just going to the bathroom." He lied to her to hide what he was thinking about.

After a few minutes went by Joshua came into the room and seen Max sitting on the bed not sleeping. "Alec thought little fellow wouldn't be sleeping; asked me to come tell you to sleep, he's just doing something. He be back here, doesn't want to find you little fellow awake." Joshua tried to explain without much luck, she got the just of what he was trying to say. Joshua left after saying what he needed to say.

Max laid back down but now she was wondering what was going on with Alec, he normally doesn't act like this. She was still awake when Alec got back but she pretended to be asleep so he wouldn't know that she was worried about him.


	5. Taken By Surprise

Taken By Surprise

When Max woke up she saw that Alec was sitting there staring into space and said, "You're here I thought you wouldn't come back." Trying to hide that she was awake when he came in.

"Come on Maxie, you know you like having me around," Alec said with a sarcastic look on his face.

"If by 'Like' you mean having the urge to drop an anvil on you every three seconds, then yeah I really 'Like' you." She replied as she was getting up from the bed.

A little taken back by her reply Alec said, "You don't mean that," while smiling, trying to get her back in a good mood.

Max was heading for the door as she stated, "As I stated last time. Find me an anvil and watch me go." Stopping just before the door to look back at him.

Now with false sincerity all over his face and in his voice he tried to get Max to think he was joking, "Maxie, that hurts, it really does."

Max didn't even reply that time she just continued on through the door.

Alec really thinking she means what she is saying feeling really bad that he made her sleep last night, that is probably what's all her frustration is all about, but he should change cloths because he hasn't changed since all of this started. He spoke up just before Max closed the door behind her and said, "Could you ask Dix or Mole if I could borrow some cloths, I really need to change."

She was now just letting him think she was so pissed with him she didn't say anything till she got to Dix, "Hey you have any cloths that . . ." Max was stopped by a lot of commotion in the main area everyone was running around it looked like they were trying to rush to a dead line that was coming up and coming up fast. "What's going on here? What the rush? Why is everyone panicking?" Max trying to figure it all out but no one heard her she yelled this time, "_**HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?**_"

That caught Alec's attention in Dix's room even so he came out just as everyone paused and looked at Max. Dix finally replying after a bit of a pause, "Sorry we are all trying to find and locate Joshua because . . . well . . . look," he said pointing at the media monitors with concern in his voice when he is normally cool and calm when things go wrong.

So Max and Alec went over to the monitors and watch with worry on their faces like never before.

One channel was on all of them as they looked and listened to them in unison, "This morning as children were going to classes they came a crossed a dog, no a man, no a werewolf . . ."

The reporter was cut off by one of the teachers at the elementary school, "It was one of those transgenics from Terminal City, they should just bomb that place and end it all what are the National Guard waiting for it's not like they have any rights even the ones that don't look like this one but more like me or you they are not human!"

The reporter ended her report with, "Well you heard it there it was a transgenic that was after these poor incent children. Thankfully we have a very brave janitor here at the school which scared of the dog transgenic."

She trailed off as Max started to talk, "Well you guys are right we have to find Joshua which I really don't think he could of went after those children, but you guys should of came and woke us up for this because it's not only the media we have to worry about anymore. Remember I made a deal that we would stay in Terminal City till they found that guy that skinned that sector cop! Detective Clemente will be here any second I bet, to say it was someone from here and this time I can't say 'no it wasn't' because they seen him that day that this all started at Jam Pony, they know he's here, was here."

While Max was explaining that was not what they had to worry about, Alec got some cloths and quickly changed into different cloths, than came back. "So did that detective buddy come yet?"

Max turned around and answered, "No, but he'll be here soon enough, like I just said." She hadn't noticed that he'd changed yet, "Oh, you know I never realized that blue was a good color on you till now." Max stated when she finally noticed that he had changed.

"Aww, Maxie are you coming on to me?" Alec said with a surprised smile and a smirk on his face.

Max scuffs and says, "Yeah right, get over yourself pretty boy!"

"You know you want me." Alec replies as he winks at her.

"Whatever, back to what I was saying, we need to find Joshua before _they_ do." Max started saying after she didn't mean to but did get Alec thinking she likes him. "Has anyone seen or heard from Logan today?" She waited for a response to his whereabouts but never got it. "Ok, I'll be back everyone pull whatever strings you can to get Joshua back here WITHOUT LEAVEING!"

Max went to the back and down the steps but made a wrong turn before the tunnel and found a room that was quite neat and tidy considering where she was and she thought to herself, "This would be a nice place for my room, seeing we are going to be here a while. I can't always be borrowing Dix's room!" She turned back around to go to the tunnel which led to Logan's new residence. When she got there no one was there the place was dark and quiet. Max went back to where everyone was and asked again, "Has anyone seen or heard from Logan yet?"

"No sorry Maxie," Alec said looking up from a map of the city, "we have not heard from Logan yet."

"Stop calling me 'Maxie' or are _you _hitting on me, now? If you are this is not the time to do so." Max said to Alec getting aggravated with the name 'Maxie'.

Just as she said that to Alec, Detective Clemente started to ask for Max just like she said he would do. "Max, your right he's out front calling for you again." Mole said sitting at the security monitors that they had set up.

"Yeah, yeah I'm going out there now, don't worry this is actually a good sign that the National Guard is not coming in!" Max explained on her way out to the front to talk to him.

When she got out there he looked ferrous, like he was going to explode into the air or something. "We had a deal! That dog boy is out of Terminal City, you said everyone would stay till we found our guy that is killing sector cops and other people like that. Why is . . ." Clemente was cut off by Max.

"Cops as in more than one and other people?" Max asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yes, you didn't know another sector cop and one agent from out of town were killed the same way 'skinned'?" Clemente replied to Max's comment.

"No we didn't know how would we know when we don't leave and it wasn't on the news?" Max said back to him.

"Ahw, but at least one of you did leave, dog boy." Detective Clemente snapped at Max disagreeing to her comment 'we didn't leave'.

"Yeah, I found out only about forty five minutes ago and since then I have been trying everything I or anyone can think about to get him back here but we have not found him yet. We have not even found out the real reason he went to that school I know 'Joshua' that's his name not 'dog boy', why he would go there he wouldn't hurt anything unless his life was a risk, but I know also those kids would and could not hurt Joshua let alone risk his life!" Max explained to Clemente.

"Well, you better hope that you find him before we do because he'll not be returned to you if we do!" Clemente explained to Max.

"So you are going to torture him?" Max asked worried now.

"No, I will not but I'm not sure what the National Guard will do." Detective Clemente said.


	6. The Unexpected Meeting

This chapter is almost the entire last half of "Chapter Nine: Crash Landings" from the book "Dark Angel: Skin Game" by Max Allan Collins because I thought it fit into my story so well so I don't take the credit for the ideas in this chapter.

The Unexpected Meeting

Even as Max had dealt with the daily task of just trying to hold the fragile truce together, what Joshua had shared with her weighed heavily. She sifted through everything again and again, over and over . . . and the conclusion never seemed to change.

These grotesque, terrible killings were – partially, at least – her fault.

After all, wasn't she the one who had turned the transgenics loose in the world in the first place?

She would have preferred not to feel responsible for the killings, to be able to rationalize them away; but the guilt, the responsibility, was hers. It had been her decision not to leave anyone behind at Manticore. Now, while hundreds, maybe thousands, of transgenics lived free and happy, a few failed living experiments were loose who would have been better off in captivity – better off for themselves, better off for the populace.

Max wanted to think White was behind these killings, and she knew him to be heartless enough to do such deeds, or have them done in the pursuit of the conclave's twisted agenda; but something deep in her gut told her that was not the way it was . . .

A quick knock was followed by handsome, hazel-eyed Alec – in the same blue T-shirt, Levi's and running shoes – filling the frame of the doorway. "You might want to take a look at what's going on outside," he said, jerking a thumb toward the hallway.

"Can things be anymore fucked up?" Max said, looking up at him in a tired and discussed face.

"Hey, Max it's going to be alright! You know I always got your back." Alec explained to Max.

Muttering to herself Max said, "Yeah, I know and I really don't get it"

Now Alec was confused by her statement he asked, "What does that mean?"

"Nothing just forget it," Max says as she walks away to the control center.

"It's Logan on the computer asking for you, Max." Dix said.

"I heard a few things that might lead us to this skinner!" Logan started to explain to Max.

"Well what's that?" Max asked him.

"If I could find Joshua, I could almost fix all of your problems right now with a little help from the people we trust out here," Logan stated.

"With who's help exactly?" Max asked with curiosity.

"Cindy, Asha, and a person I'm trying to get a hold of. Why are you all of a sudden interested in who I use for helping me or 'Eyes Only'?" Asked Logan from the monitor.

"Well if I could get on the outside like Joshua did I probably could find him." Offered Alec interrupted Max and Logan trying to help in as much as he can.

"We will see what we can do and what we need can you look for the parts Logan needs to give 'Eyes Only' for his broadcasts?" Max said trying to get Alec out of the way so she could talk to Logan without being interrupted.

After Alec left to look for the IT Server, and a couple of C34 Processors Logan said to Max, "I can't believe him! He's such a screw up!"

While Max was glaring at Logan she said, "Hey, it isn't his fault!"

With a scoff Logan replied, "Please . . . you know as well as I do! Alec is a self acclaimed screw up!"

"It's not his fault!" Max snapped back at Logan.

"This is important Max! And that sociopath, egotistical, self centered . . ." Logan was cut off by Max.

"Don't talk about him like that!" Max defensively snapped at Logan even more fiercely than before.

"Max this is our only chance you know how important that equipment is!" Logan said as an attack toward Alec.

"Whatever about Alec I know those parts are important that is why I got him to look for them and there are a lot of things like the start of what happened at Jam Pony that day it didn't start out as a blood bath because of him!" Max said in defending Alec.

"Whatever yourself Max, but I have to go to get that information I told you about finding that guy." Logan said as he turned off the web cam. He sat at his desk looking at the computer for a moment.

Max sounded exhausted, and he wished there was more he could do to help her. She took so much on her shoulders, but now there was nothing to be done about that . . .

. . . except, maybe get to the bottom of the skinner mystery, and see if clearing that hateful story out of the headlines could help ease the tension on the transgenics' situation in Terminal City.

Rising, Logan gathered his cell phone, his keys, and headed for the door. His car was parked near the end of the exit tunnel, and within ten minutes he was speeding toward the bar.

Crash, the favorite hangout of the Jam Pony gang, was nearly vacant at this hour of the day, the big video screens with the racing and other sports footage playing to a mostly nonexistent audience. Brick archways separated the Crash's three sections: the bar, the game room, and the restaurant area, with its tables and chairs. The jukebox, which usually screamed with metal – tinged rock music, stood mercifully silent; the occasional knock of pool balls from the back and the news on the television at the far end of the bar were the prominent sounds. A small lunch crowd would be in, in a half hour or so; but for the time being only the bartender and Asha were at the bar.

Logan came down the stairs and took a seat next to the blonde freedom fighter.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, Asha." Logan replied.

A cup of coffee with cream sat in front of her. If it was her first, he wasn't that late. She'd taken only a few sips and the liquid still steamed.

The bartender, a skinny, tattooed guy with long, greasy, black hair, shambled toward them from the TV. His name was Ricky and he usually worked nights; judging from the bags under his eyes and the frown etched into his face, morning duty didn't suit him. He brought Logan a cup of coffee and shambled off again.

"He doesn't say much in the morning," Logan said.

Asha smiled. "He doesn't say much more at night. Now tell me what the rush is."

"It's about that NSA agent we were looking for." Logan said answering Asha's question.

"Thompson," she said quietly.

He nodded. "I may have found something."

"Yeah?" Asha motioning to Logan to continue.

"Eyes Only has tracked him to the Armbruster Hotel." Logan continued.

"I know the place." Asha stated.

"Well enough to watch my back?" Logan asked.

"Oh yeah." Asha replied back to Logan.

Daylight sliced across the bar, and they both looked up to see the silhouette of a man standing in the doorway. The sun blinded them and they couldn't see him clearly, but there was something about the guy that seemed familiar. The tail of the man's overcoat waved once more, then the door closed.

Blinking furiously to readjust his readjust his eyes, Logan peered up at the man, who was already halfway down the stairs: black hair slicked back, tight dark eyes, and an olive complexion; dark suit with a white shirt and conservative striped tie.

Logan turned casually to Asha, but his words were as urgent as they were quiet. "Go – he's White's man."

Asha slipped off the stool and meandered toward the back. She was a memory by the time the man came up and stood next to Logan, showing him a badge.

"I'm Special Agent Otto Gottlieb. Can we talk?" He asked Logan.

Logan simply shrugged.

"May I sit?" Gottlieb asked, gesturing toward the stool.

"Free country." Logan replied.

"That's the theory," Gottlieb said as he hopped onto the stool. "Your friend sure left fast."

"Not my friend. I think she was a working girl, got a glimpse of you and thought, 'Cop'." Logan stated with a straight face to make him not think anything different.

"She wasn't wrong, was she? . . . Mr. Cale, I need to talk to you." Otto stated.

_So he knew Logan's name._

Ever casual, Logan said, "I'm listening."

"Not here. We need to go somewhere else." He said.

Smiling, Logan said, "You'll pardon me of I don't jump at the chance, Agent Gottlieb, but that's not the most enticing pickup line I've heard in a bar . . . People who go 'somewhere else' with government agents, these days, have a tendency to disappear for good."

Gottlieb looked shaken, a bead of sweat trailing down one side of his face, like a teardrop that lost its way. "Look, Mr. Cale – you work for Eyes Only."

"Actually, I'm self-employed." Logan stated.

"I need to talk to him." Ignoring what Logan just said Otto continued.

Logan smiled broadly. "Why sure, no problem. He's an underground cyber journalist you feds have been after for years . . . and now by simply asking me, you'll get a direct line to him, no questions asked . . . And what would you like for your other two wishes?"

Gottlieb said, "Mr. Cale, what of I can give you an assurance that—"

"I don't work for Eyes Only. I share some of his distrust of the government, but it ends there. So maybe you better just leave." Logan interrupted Gottlieb.

Gottlieb didn't move. His attitude shifted, subtly. "As someone who doesn't know Eyes Only, Mr. Cale, can you tell me why your fingerprints were all over the apartment where we traced his last broadcast to?"

Logan started to rise, but Gottlieb put a hand on his arm. "I'm not here to arrest you. In fact, I have a gift for you – a show of good faith."

Withdrawing a manila envelope from his overcoat, he laid it on the counter between them."

Sitting down again, Logan asked, "What's this?"

"All the fingerprint files from the apartment. White never saw them." Otto assured him.

Logan studied the agent; the man's face had a tortured sort of sincerity etched on it. "What about the NSA fingerprint people?"

"They're no problem," Gottlieb said. "They delivered the print identification just as they were supposed to . . . to me. Agent White lost interest in Eyes Only when the situation at Jam Pony came up. I give them to you now as a sign of my sincerity."

"These prove nothing," Logan said. "This could all still be in a computer anywhere."

"I've dealt with that. They're gone." Gottlieb said trying to convince Logan.

"Well, hell – what more assurance could I need than that?" Logan said sarcastically.

"Listen, Mr. Cale! Just hear me out." Gottlieb said.

Ricky the bartender wandered up. The agent shook his head and the bartender went back to the TV. Logan wanted to bolt, but after slipping the envelope inside his jacket, he turned to face Gottlieb. "So talk."

"Can't we go somewhere?" Gottlieb asked again.

"No – this place is empty and not bugged, unless you've bugged it. Tell me here or not at all." Logan stated.

After mulling that for a few seconds, Gottlieb kept his voice low and asked, "The name I mentioned earlier . . . the man I work for. You know him?"

Logan nodded.

"I think he may have gone rogue." Gottlieb explaining something that he thought Logan had no clue about but that didn't get Logan's attention yet.

Laughing out loud, Logan said, "No wonder the NSA snapped you up – you don't miss anything. Anything else hot off the presses? Any word in yet about whether Nixon's a crook?"

Gottlieb's eyes fell, his face turning crimson, as he said, "I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. We're supposed to be on the same team, after all, he and I."

"Ames White is on a team, all right," Logan said. "But not the one you're playing on, or any team that's trying to help this country."

"I figured that out." Gottlieb stated.

"Good for you, Agent Gottlieb! Now why don't you go talk to your superiors about it?" Logan rose, tossed a bill on the bar, and took a step.

Gottlieb grabbed onto Logan's arm. "I can't talk to my superiors, or to anyone else in the government. White's got ties everywhere – I couldn't trust anyone. My friends in the government may be _his_ friends. There's no way to know."

Logan let the hand rest on his arm as he nodded. "You're right about that much. But why Eyes Only?"

"If you can't trust your friends," Gottlieb said meaningfully, "who's left but your enemies?"

That was a good point.

"All right, follow me out," Logan said.

Then he climbed the stairs and headed outside. The sin had felt good on his face. With Gottlieb stepping up next to him, Logan heard the cock of a gun and wondered if he'd been suckered . . .

. . . until he turned to find Asha standing behind them, her pistol aimed at Gottlieb's skull.

"Maybe we should find somewhere more private," Logan said as he lifted Gottlieb's pistol from its holster.

The three of them turned down an alley, trooping far away from the street and into the shadows, Gottlieb leading the way, but Asha prodding. The alley smelled of decaying good and urine; somewhere, a cat cried out. Slipping behind a Dumpster, the tree of them stood out of sight of the traffic on the street, though Gottlieb still peered around nervously, looking for prying eyes and eavesdroppers.

"Tell us what you know," Logan ordered.

Otto Gottlieb gave them his story – all of it.

Logan had suspected much of what Gottlieb had to report, and had actually seen the assassins outside Jam Pony; but he knew they needed more.

"Do you have proof of any of this, Otto?" Logan asked him.

Gottlieb shook his head. "There never is any – White calls it 'plausible deniability.'"

The phrase had an all – too – familiar ring to Logan. "Where _can_ we get proof?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't have come looking for Eyes Only." Gottlieb said as an answer to Logan's question.

Logan decided to change course. "Where's Sage Thompson?"

Looking as though he'd just been punched, Gottlieb asked, "How the hell do you know about him?"

"Because Eyes Only found out about Calvin Hankins." Logan explained to him.

Gottlieb said surprised, "I can't believe it . . ."

"Otto, do you know where Thompson is?" Logan stopped him.

"No! But if I did, he might be able to corroborate some of what I've told you." He replied.

The smell in the alley was as unpleasant as it was thick; Logan – ready to find a new office – said, "If you're on the level, Otto, you'll have to do exactly what I tell you."

Gottlieb sighed. "I'm good at that."

"You got a car?" Logan asked.

"Sure – just around the corner." Gottlieb said.

The three of them marched to the vehicle. Logan got behind the wheel, Otto sat on the passenger side, and Asha got in the back.

"Hand me your cuffs, will you, Agent Gottlieb?" Asha asked while handing the gun to Logan.

"Make it 'Otto.'" He fumbled around behind himself and got them out, then held the cuffs up over his shoulder.

"Right hand," Asha ordered.

Gottlieb frowned. "What?"

Logan stuck the gun in his ribs, and the agent's tight hand went behind the seat.

Locking the bracelet over that hand, Asha said "Now the left."

Gottlieb obeyed, awkwardly extending his other arm around the seat, and Asha cuffed him with his arms pulled behind him.

"What's this about?" Otto asked wordily.

Asha got out and Logan rolled down the passenger side window for him to lean in. "Show of good faith or not, I can't trust you, Otto. So, you're going to have to trust me. I will watch you – I'll take you to a safe place. Asha will join us as soon as she can. If she finds Agent Thompson, we may be able to help you. If you're lying . . . well, I think you can fill in that blank, yourself. Do we have an understanding, Otto?"

Looking very scared, Gottlieb nodded.

Logan shook his head slowly. "I hope you're telling the truth, Otto. A lot of people are depending on you . . . and if we don't find Agent Thomson, they might all be in serious trouble."

And right now Otto Gottlieb looked like he knew all about what it was like being in serious trouble.


End file.
